Posts Tagged ‘illinois’
Monday, May 25th, 2009
I’ve always said that you can’t reform Illinois with new laws. Illinois has plenty of laws. We also have plenty of crooked politicians, cops, bureaucrats and corporations. These people were not foisted upon an unsuspecting citizenry. This is the government we want. This is the government we demand to have. Every election, we go to the polls and elect crooks or those we know will look the other way. Why? Because they have promised us our slice of the pie.
Rod Blagojevich was kicked out of office only because he got caught trying to sell a seat in the U.S. Senate. Remember, we re-elected him by a large margin even though most of what we know about him know we already knew then. It didn’t matter because he promised us swag (no-cost health care for the kiddies) and no tax increases.
But did kicking Blago to the curb cure Illinois? Don’t be an idiot. Of course not. Our new squeaky clean governor — the reformer Pat Quinn — recently got into a minor kerfuffle over fund raising phone calls made during the wrong day on the calender.
And there is a call for a massive overhaul of the state ethics legislation.
What a crock. Illinois is corrupt and that’s the way we like it. You can wander into many drinking and eating establishment in Peoria city and county and gamble illegally. In this respect, Peoria is almost as open as it was when Al Capone ran the place. Speaking of Big Al’s, have you ever wondered why city government goes out of its way to help HIM stay in business, but his competitor on North University is under constant city harassment? So have I.
But I digress.
All this brings me to Rich Miller. He has this to say about parts of the reform legislation:
On one level, it’s easy to understand why the legislative leaders don’t want to place contribution caps on their caucus campaign committees. They love their power and they want to keep it.
But they ought to just go ahead and cap themselves and avoid all the negative press they’re getting for rejecting this demand by the governor’s reform commission.
Why? Because nobody except the reformers, some columnists and the newspaper editorial boards really believe that caps on leader committees and state parties will do much of anything to limit campaign spending. The very idea is a complete folly once you look at the real world.
And then he goes on to give figures and facts that demonstrate how politicians at the federal level are perfectly able to whore it up under campaign finance rules that everyone knows are far, far more stringent that here in Illinois.
Folks, Illinois is NOT going to change until the electorate changes, and that means a fundamental change in Illinois culture. And that culture is going to have to include award winning newspaper editorial boards, which on one hand whine about corruption and on another complain that the local boys aren’t bringing home enough of the pork.
Tags: Corruption, illinois, Rich Miller, Rod Blagojevich
Posted in Local | 2 Comments »
Sunday, March 9th, 2008
 Today’s PeoriaPunditRadio went off without a hitch. John Bambenek of the Illinois Citizens Coalition and I talked about the November vote on whether or not there should be a new Constitutional Convention. John is 100 oin favor. I ended up generally in favor, but not convinced that it’s a better solution than simply refusing to elect the same tired old hacks.
We also spent some time discussing one such reform, equal ballot access rules for candidates from different parties. Other issues includes gerrymandering and the state’s so-called balanced budgets.
The lone caller (but hopefully not the lone listener) was Peoria’s Brad Carter. Brad has dropped his opposition because it just might be the best way to accomplish vital reforms.
UPDATE: And I’ve uploaded the file to my site for direct download:
Here
Time: 60 min. Size:Â 14 MB.
Tags: blogtalkradio, Brad Carter, con-con, constitutional convention, illinois, John Bambeneck
Posted in Local | 1 Comment »
Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Bethany Jaeger writes on the Illinois Issues blog about a debate between Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn and former comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch on whether voters should approve a new Constitutional Convention when they go to the polls in November. Quinn favors a Con-Con while Netsch is opposed.
Meanwhile, I recalled this post from Peoria blogger Brad Carter expressing his opposition to a Con-Con, as well as his intention to seek to become a delegate if there is one. He’s worried a Con-Con could lead to mandating additional government responsibilities and spending.
Perhaps Mr. Carter will call in during the Peoria Pundit Radio show at 6 p.m. Sunday. He can ask a few pointed questions of John Bambenek of the Illinois Citizen’s Coalition, who has taken a pro con-con position. The number is (347) 326-9459.
Tags: blogtalkradio, con-con, constitutional convention, illinois, Patrick Quinn
Posted in Local | Comments Off
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
My last attempt at using BlogTalkRadio didn’t work out all that well. I’m told that the glitches are now over, and that neither I nor would be callers will have trouble getting connected.
Let’s hope so, because I’ve scheduled my second show for 6 p.m. (Central) Sunday, March 9.
The subject will be the decision Illinois voters will make in November whether or not there should be a new constitutional convention. The League of Women Voters has some background detail here regarding the process.
I am looking for guests willing be be interviewed on the air. Naturally, I want people with both pro and con positions. And of course, local folks are more than willing to call in and give their two cents.
I’d also like to hear what changes people would like to see in the state constitution. Here are a couple I’d like to see:
- Term limits for leaders of the state house and senate. I’m not talking about term limits for the house of senate seats, but limits on how long someone can be speaker of the house or senate president.
- A constitutional prohibition against using any taxpayer money as an incentive to lure a business from one part of the state to another. I would allow money to be used to provide information that might convince a business to move across the state, But no tax incentives. No enterprise zones. No TIF districts. Naturally, I’d like to see something like this in effect nationwide.
Details such as call-in numbers are available here.
UPDATE: John Bambenek of the Illinois Citizen’s Coalition, a proponent of a Con-Con, will be my first guest on the hour long show. I’ll interview him, then open the phones up for questions.
 UPDATE 2: I’m bumping this up a bit.
Tags: con-con, constitution convention, illinois, John Bambenek, radio, Statehouse & Capitol
Posted in Local | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
I bet you thought that the state of Illinois wasn’t allowed to operate in the red, and that all state budgets had to be balanced. Well, that’s what I thought. Silly me. These guys say Illinois has a structural deficit, and we’re not talking pennies. From a press release:
CHICAGO-AREA GROUP WINS GRANT TO BRING FINANCIAL TRUTH TO FIFTY STATES
Institute for Truth in Accounting will investigate state budgets in 2008; Some, claiming to be “balanced,” have massive liabilities – including Illinois
Chicago – Today, the Institute for Truth in Accounting announced the launch of a new project for 2008: an in-depth investigation of budgets in all fifty states, including Illinois. The study, funded with a recent grant from the Searle Freedom Trust, is dedicated to spreading accurate financial information across the country this election year.
“Most states claim to have a ‘balanced’ budget, yet continually report ’structural’ deficits. Many states’ laws require balanced budgets,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA). “The truth, however, is far more complicated. It’s also troubling. We are honored to receive Searle’s generous grant, and we look forward to digging up the true budget numbers in all fifty states.”
The State of Illinois, for instance, has claimed for more than twenty years that its budgets have been “balanced.” While it is never expected that each fiscal year’s results will net to zero, over a twenty-year period, the State’s accumulated deficits would be expected to be near zero. Yet a recent IFTA analysis demonstrates the Illinois is in a financial hole of more than $44 billion - a burden for past-year services, shifted to future-year taxpayers without having impacted the State’s budget calculations for the past twenty years.
“We believe that such budgeting practices exist in many of the 50 states,” said Weinberg. “Our goal is to bring the true, accurate data to each of them – and to the nation – this year.”
The study, which will be coordinated by IFTA expert advisor Rick Skiba, will take place over six months. The data will be compiled into a comprehensive report to be released later this year. For more information, contact Sheila Weinberg at 847-835-5200.
About the Institute for Truth in Accounting
The Institute for Truth in Accounting (IFTA) is dedicated to promoting honest, accurate, and transparent accounting at all levels of government. As a non-partisan, non-profit organization, the IFTA works to expose accounting deficiencies while promoting better, more accessible delivery of accurate government financial data – and, in turn, providing a foundation for more informed public policy. The IFTA provides its expertise to develop more effective accounting standards and deliver accurate government financial information to policymakers, opinion leaders, and citizens so that they can work for a more secure financial future. To learn more, please visit our website at www.truthinaccounting.org.
Tags: balanced budget, illinois, Institute for Truth in Accounting, Searle Freedom Trust, structural deficit
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | Comments Off
Saturday, December 15th, 2007
Comics Brett Erickson, Travis Lipski, Adam Harris and “Abe Lincoln” will perform in a benefit comedy concert for presidential candidate Ron Paul. The event will be at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the Jukebox Comedy Club at 3527 W. Farmington Road in Peoria. The doors open at 7 p.m. and adminission of $10, will all proceeds going to the Paul campaign.
Tags: Benefit, fund raiser, illinois, peoria, Ron Paul
Posted in Overset | 12 Comments »
Monday, November 12th, 2007
I signed up for email updates from many of the presidential campaigns, including Ron Paul’s. This one landed in my inbox today. It does not make me feel hopeful for the libertarian-leaning Republican.
November 11, 2007
 If we don’t get hundreds upon hundreds of signatures immediately in Illinois Ron Paul will have no delegates to send to the National Convention.
PLEASE HELP by doing the following:
1. We have delegates but many of those delegates HAVE NOT sent Jason Acebel [no idea who he is; no doubt a campaign official]their forms. If you are a delegate and HAVE NOT sent in your form contact Jason ASAP at ilpetitions@gmail.com and let him know when your form will be mailed. I
2. If you can take time off work or give 2-5 full days to gathering hundreds of signatures email Jason at ilpetitions@gmail.com with your phone number and best time to call. THIS IS MISSION CRITICAL. Please DO NOT contact Jason if you cannot give this amount of time. Many of you are gathering a few signatures and that is fine. Please keep up the good work but unless we get some major help soon Ron Paul will not have delegates. Jason does not have time to respond to a lot of emails. We need at least 1 person in each of the 19 districts to give us 2-5 days to get the job in that district done.
3. If you can commit full time for 1-3 days to make phone calls for Jason Acebel to call our delegates please email Jason at ilpetitions@gmail.com
Mike McHugh
National Ballot Access Coordinator
Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee
Since this is an official email from the official Paul campaign, I have to take the words at their face value. They are worried they won’t get on the ballot. And even if he does, you just know the other GOP campaigns are sharpening their pencils, awaiting a chance to challenge his signatures.
This is Paul’s weakness. Much has been written about how Paul supporters, in one day, raised $4.2 million on the Internet. But it’s easy to be a Ron Paul Internet Warrior sitting in front of your computer screen, eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew Red. It’s quite a different thing to go outside on a cold, rainy day and walk door to door in your neighborhood collecting signatures and registering voters. That’s hard work. I know, I’ve done it. Several lifetimes ago, I was a precinct committeeman for the Democrats. I backed Tom Harkin in 1992, if that tells you anything about my former politics.
Tags: ballot access, illinois, Mike McHugh, Ron Paul, signatures
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol | Comments Off
Friday, November 9th, 2007
It’s going to be a long one Tuesday. The City Council meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. and immediately begines with a presentation and FIVE proclamations. There are 22 items in the consent aganda (some of which are bound to be pulled out and discusses at length). Councilmember Jim Montelongo is asking the council to reconsider its expansion of the 4 a.m. liquor license to Apollo and not to Excalibur. The Walk-to-Work initiative is on the agenda. The new city manager public works director will discuss the snow plan and the council will vote on the tax levy.
I cannot wait for these guys to wise up and go back to weekly meetings.
The agenda is here, and below:
(more…)
Tags: city council, illinois, peoria, snow removal
Posted in Overset | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007
Last time around, the council let Club Apollo have try out a 4 a.m. liquor license for size. Now, the liquor commission wants to add Excalibur to the list, which is a bit further away from downtown, something that’s a concern for the police.
Apparently there isn’t enough room in Club Apollo to hold all the black people who can’t get into downtown Peoria 4 a.m. bars because of “dress code violations.”
Tags: club apollo, Downtown, Excalibur, illinois, liquor licenses, peoria
Posted in Local | 3 Comments »
Monday, November 5th, 2007
The Journal Star’s Clare Jellick is blogging again, and she’s using the site the way a mainstream media journalist ought to: Getting news out there when there isn’t room in the dead tree version. Here are two posts that list school rankings. Here is another than includes quotes that didn’t make the paper. Kudos.
Tags: clare jellick, district 150, illinois, peoria, report cards
Posted in Local | Comments Off
Friday, October 19th, 2007
Speaking of Rich Miller, he’s running a contest I find amusing. Illinois, unlike some states, doesn’t have its own pledge of allegiance. Frankly, it doesn’t worry me all that much that the state that gave the world Abraham Lincoln doesn’t wallow in the concept of state sovereignty.
Anyway, Rich asked his readers to get creative. This is my favorite so far:
I pledge allegiance
to the flag
of the Land of Lincoln.
And to the system,
in Combine’s hands,
Where something’’s really stinkin’.
Plenty of contracts
to go around
For those who have the Clout.
But if you want health care,
or better schools,
You’ll have to go without.
It’s so beautiful, it brings a tear to my eye.
Tags: illinois, pledge of allegiance, Rich Miller, sovereignty
Posted in Citizen Journalism | Comments Off
Friday, October 5th, 2007
Jonathan Ahl reports that his station, WCBU, is going to participate in the Primary Place program being offered though New Hampshire Public Radio. Essentially, it lets ordinary folks post questions and comments about the upcoming presidential race, which the good people of Exeter, NH, can then bring to the attention of the candidates that pay sooooooo much attention to that tiny state (while virtually ignoring larger states with more voters, like, say, ILLINOIS). It’s the next best thing to having a primary that actually matters.
New Hampshire,primary,citizen journalism,WCBU,Primary Place
Tags: Citizen Journalism, illinois, jonathan ahl, journalism, President, public radio, radio, WCBU
Posted in Statehouse & Capitol, Watchdog | 3 Comments »
Monday, November 20th, 2006
The buzz in the Illinois Blogosphere is that a certain anonymous Central Illinois blogger will not only return to full-time blogging today but will “come out of the closet,” as it were.
I will neither confirm or deny any rumors.
Illinois,blogging
Tags: blogging, illinois
Posted in Citizen Journalism | 2 Comments »
Saturday, November 4th, 2006
From Prego Man, a real grass roots campaign:
He has more government experience. He’s not cut from “college professor” cloth. He’s strong-willed. He has a proven track record of representation. And, he was once married to a very hot babe.
Rich Whitney has no more business being Governor than I do… and that’s not a damned bit. Sandberg, I believe, would make a great Governor of Illinois. But, a fact is a fact. If I write-in Gary Sandberg, I might feel really good, but I just wasted my sacred vote.
Just like all of you “radical” Whitney backers will do.
Wrong. My vote for Whitney will be counted. Your vote for Gary would be tossed into the trash bin.
And each percentage point for Whitney will further encourage the growth of so-called third parties.
Tags: Gary Sandberg, governor, illinois
Posted in Overset | 12 Comments »
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Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates